Jack’s Winning Words 11/9/21

“Life was made up of things you couldn’t control…Life wasn’t what you made it.  You were what life made you.”  (Sara Zarr)  Today I’m thinking of the many things (beyond my control) that have shaped me:  My parents, skin color, opportunities that just happened, nationality, genetics.  To a great extent, life has made me (and you, too!)  But then there are the choices I’ve made: A value system, friends, “when “to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.,”, how to use my brain.  Even religion is basically a choice. The great philosopher, Mae West, once said, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”  How has life treated you?  ;-)  Jack 

FROM DANDI SANDI:  Well said===JACK:  Someone taught me.

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  you are getting really profound in your old age!   Warren Buffett once congratulated his audience for winning the Ovarian Lottery meaning you were born white,  born in America,  born with a healthy body,  born with a reasonably high IQ, and likely born into a home that had a good work ethic and that also valued education.   now,  Buffett said,  don't you DARE take credit for any of that!   was it fate or God that gave you those 5 determining factors?  who knows.  but the point is this: change any one of those factors (born black,  or with a sickly body, or with a low IQ, born in a mud hut in Tanzania or a slum in Brazil, , etc. etc.  and your life would be 180 degrees opposite from where it is now.  Jack,  we won the Ovarian Lottery and i thank God for that every day.  take care ===JACK:  Some things...I can understand.  Some things...I can't understand.  So many people around us talk as though they have ALL of the answers.===SP:  i forwarded today's WWs to 7 friends.===JACK:  My current "interest ^ talking point" is:  What will the Church need to be post-pandemic.  Mega-churches will go on, probably with smaller numbers, but what will be the relevance of the many medium to smaller ones?  We can talk about it, but only God knows!  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  I use this illustration often at AA meetings speaking on spirituality, "things we all have in common", comparing my father coming from a broken family structure, being raised for a few years by an aunt and uncle with no children, dropping out of high school, going off to war, meeting my mother when returning and being witnessed to by a man of faith in God and henceforth giving me a family that experienced God's fruit of living with this Higher Power of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. Dad broke a generational curse of separation and disharmony with quality life goals and reminding those present they have that opportunity to do the same. I often relate myself as the "Prodigal Son's Brother" when dealing with my own shortcomings!! 0;-)===JACK:  What a great story about how life can change.  The revivalist preachers called it, "conversion," and so it is.  Always...it's the work of of God...but somehow it involves individual cooperation, too.  "It's a mystery!"  I recall the story of a reformed alcoholic who said, "God still performs miracles.  In our house He turned beer into furniture." 

FROM DS IN SOCAL:  Life has blessed me SO much, and undeservedly so. ===JACK:  Good or bad or in-between...who deserves the life that is theirs? ===JACK:  Thank God for his Grace===JACK:  It seems to me that many of us need a lesson on how to practice "that grace" to others.

FROM SR IN SJ:  Wonderful Winning Words and follow through, Jack!  I am eternally grateful for what LIFE has given and made of me. . .and sorry for every and any wrong turns on  my part!😀===JACK:  Yes, we all have our missteps, but that's to be expected as we learn to walk.  It nice to have a Parent who stands by and smiles as we teeter along...and is there to catch us as we sometimes fall...and laughs at our wobbling.===SR:  I love your response,===JACK:  I love seeing children take their first steps.  I'll bne that God gets a kick out of it, too.===SR:  Bless your creative and ever positive mind. .. .  I think you are right on God's delight before such a scene. . .

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/8/21

“Rivers know that there is no hurry.  We shall all get there some day.”  (Winnie-the-Pooh)  I came across the word, perseverate, recently.  (It’s pronounced – per-SEV-rate))  I should have known that it was related to, persevere…to stay with something until it’s done.  The MLK Jr “Freedom Marchers” sang…”We shall overcome, someday.”  Perseverate!  Perhaps you have a life goal in mind.  Stay with it!  Are you distressed over the slowness of a good cause?  Perseverate!  During the dark days of WW 2, Churchill said, “When you’re going through hell, keep on going!”  Perseverate!  Good advice for handling those dark days .  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAULIN ST PAUL:  ood advice indeed!   thanks,  Jack.  last night SOTV celebrated 40 years of its history.  we were officially welcomed into the old ALC on Nov. 1, 1981.  several hundred showed up to remember, give thanks,  have a little libation (beer and wine only) and even renew acquaintanceships.  it really was a joyful and exciting night.  back to bed now.  blessings on your day, ===JACK:  Covid wiped out our 50 th anniversary, so they're planning a 51st...a NEW beginning.  No beer and wine for churches with Augustana-rooted pastors.

FROM HOMELESS:  Love it!! This is the BEST WW EVER!! The quotes were spectacular all the way through, and you know how much I liked that word. Ps. Winnie-the-Pooh was so smart!===JACK:  Thanks for calling PerSEVerate to my attention.  I like the word...and the way it sounds when spoken.

FROM PEE WEE:  Thank you for invigorating my strength.  😊🙏🏻===JACK:  Is there a word for that?===PW:   A word for invigorating?  Energize? Strengthen? Refresh? Rejuvenate?===JACK:  How about VIVIFY?  …From Latin: to bring to life.  A word, not often used, but having a good root. ===PW:  That's a good one. Sometimes I need a good re-awakening!!

FROM DANDI SANDI:  When I learned the word ‘perseverate’ in my special ed and counseling studies, the term would denote staying on a topic longer than is normal or appropriate or helpful. Like a person with autism going on and on and being unable move off of a topic. I looked it up and that’s what the dictionary implies. What do you think? 🙃===JACK:  As with most things (words included) there's usually a positive and negative way of looking at them.  I choose to accent eh positive and e-lim-i-nate the negative...and I want to perseverate with that.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Life changing ideas don’t always have to be big in nature. Often small changes in the trajectory of your life come from rather modest ideas.===JACK:  Got a good idea?  Stay with it!  Things they say "can't be done," and usually done by someone who doesn't give up."

FROM DR JUDY:  Interesting. As a special educator, I understood perseverate as a term with a rather negative connotation.   Like a student who just wouldn’t let something go: A student who would repeat the same thing or concern over and over. I wish I could remember better example right now. It wasn’t uncommon to turn to a fellow colleague and say “so-in-so was perseverating lately”. And then we would all sigh and see what we could do to change that behavior.===JACK:  It's interesting that you're the 2nd "special ed" person who brought up this thought today.  Even in the 'religion business" we need to be reminded that there are different ways of looking at things...even different ways of looking at God. ===DJ:  Good use of that analogy. :)===JACK:  Analogous is an interesting word.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  This is a GREAT word for me right now.  Recently I’ve gone through two carotid arteries surgery to clean out the plaque build-up (soft plaque which can break off and cause strokes).  The surgeries have left my mouth with some weird issues that seem to be lingering longer than I like.  I can’t swish my mouth out after brushing my teeth without squirting water out like a porpoise.  I can’t bite into a BLT and some other sandwiches. Chewing is sometimes an issue as food gets lodged on the right side of my mouth and I have problems transferring it to the other side.  I am in speech therapy sessions now to see if we can encourage my tongue and throat muscles to work a little faster at correcting some of these issues.  The surgeon and Pas have told me that ‘rarely’ is anyone left with side effects following these surgeries.  So I need to perseverate and be patient.  All my other incision healings have gone very well and I’m thankful they are behind me.===JACK:  ...and I think that "being careful about gluten" is an issue.  The old saying is true.  "If everybody put their own shoes in a pile and were able to choose which ones to wear...they'd choose their own."  PerSEVerate is a good "new" word for today.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Good word to learn and use!  At my age, I  tend to live in the present, and leave the future to the youngsters!  I've had my day of making a difference, and feel I have done that as well as I could!  We all have opportunities to to "brighten the corner where we are" (Good song! :-)  Thanks for the new word, Jack! I shall perseverate!===JACK:  When did you stop making a difference?  Was at an age?  Or, was it an attitude adjustment?  Just a reminder that you're STILL making a difference!

 

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/5/21

“The greatest thrill in my life was to represent the United States of America.” (Madeleine Albright)  What a difference 25 years make.  It was a proud moment for this Czech immigrant when she was chosen to “be America” in diplomatic meetings around the world.  Albright’s words cause me to do a “gut-check” with regard to my role as a pastor.   Yes, it has been a thrill to be a pastor.  Have you enjoyed life as it has played out for you?  I hope you can echo Madeleine when she said,  “I have had fun being who I became.”  ;-)  Jack

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  Amen to that.===JACK:    Patriotism seems to be a hard thing to maintain when compatriots throw brickbats at each other..  

FROM SR IN SJ:  I can echo Madeleine Albright's words, I believe!!===JACK:  Pride is not always a bad thing, especially when you stand up for a worthy cause.  I'm sure that you are proud to be a Benedictine....

FROM NOVA SCOTIA FISH:  Just watching Huma Abedin being interviewed by Christian Amanpour about her new book.  Huma said her father told her “There is a reason your eyes are in the front of your head—so you can look forward.” ===JACK:  One thing I like about Canadian presentation of the news is that it provides more information that we get in the "states," and it seems more unbiased.  It seems as though they have more "public service" programming, too.

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/4/21

“I am no longer accepting the things i cannot change.  i am now changing the things i can no longer accept.”  (Thought for the Day)  If I were restating this quote, I’d say: “I’m trying to change the things I can no longer accept.”  Most of us are content to just talk about change.  Too few of us are willing to “lead the parade,” when something isn’t right. I like the sentence: “Love is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.”  I remember seeing a picture of Rosie the Riveter with rolled-up sleeves…and the words, “We Can Do It!”  Yes, we can!....if we are willing..  ;-)  Jack

FROM DREM:  This is a good one. I also enjoyed hearing the Optimist Creed the other day. I’m pretty sure that’s how you and I first met - Keego Harbor Optimist Club 1998!===JACK:  I always thought that you'd make a good member of the Optimist Club, but your morning time was taken up with children getting ready for school.  How old are they now?  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Been thinking of this for some time, accepting, especially here in America, “we all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God,” and the new Heaven and new earth will be reigned by a ‘King’!” Not sure America is ready for such a government!? 0;-/===JACK:  During the time of the American Revolution, there were people, called, Loyalists, who wanted to remain as subjects of the King of England.  Since that idea failed, the Loyalists went to Nova Scotia in Canada.  But, I'm sure that you're referencing a different kind of king.

FROM JULIE CHEESE:  Thanks Jack.  I’m with you on this one - on almost all of them in fact.  Keep writing!===JACK:  I noticed the qualifier, "almost," and glad that you put it there.  

FROM SALON SUZY:  Working on it 🙏===JACK:  That's how we improve, by working at improving.  Best wishes for a good day...today.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  I think the language here may be important.  As Yoda, said, “Try Not – Do or Do Not – There is No Try”  😊===JACK:  Do you mean that "There's no trying...in religion?"===BB:  More that I think the writer of your quote used that proactive kind of language…I am already doing this…in the moment of moving forward rather than thinking I will try to change the things I cannot accept.  I feel like this happens especially in our black, Hispanic and LGBTQ communities.  They try for so long, different approaches, marches, legislation or whatever to work toward a goal and then someone steps forward…perhaps the first football player or hockey player currently on a team and “comes out” as homosexual or states clearly they are in therapy working on mental health issues.  I guess that’s a “try” to gain emotional healing but in some sense an accomplishment in that they are doing the work and making that public in a way that would’ve hung in the shadows in years past?  Wish we could talk over the coffee I am enjoying at my desk now.===JACK:  In the Church...that's why we preach "confession and forgiveness" ...and we do it week after week, year after year.  Keep trying!  In fact, that's what Church is all about.  )That cup of coffee seems like a good idea...but with the number of things we could talk about, we'd need a whole pot or more.

FROM TS IN MN:  Just a quick note to let you know how much I appreciate receiving your Winning Words.  I enjoy reading your realistic and positive perspective and insight on the many issues we face everyday.  Your glass is more than half full.===JACK:  Every day is a challenge...to send out a Winning Words that appeals to a broad range of people...and to myself.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I LIKE THIS QUOTE ON LOVE!  IT IS INDEED A VERB!  AS FOR CHANGE, IT HAPPENS, AS LIFE GOES ON, AND WE DO OUR BEST!!===JACK:  Good thoughts from you...as usual.

FROM SR IN SJ:  Wonderful decisiveness, Jack! Poco a poco or Little by little. . .but DO IT!   huh?===JACK:  So much can be accomplished in many circumstances poco a poco.

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/3/21

“I believe dogs are the closest thing to Jesus on Earth.  They love you no matter what you do to them.”  (12-yr-old Kayson, at the death of his boxer)  I’ll never forget Sparky, my pet dog when I was a kid.  I don’t know if I’d compare him to Jesus, but he was pretty special.  The song, “Old Shep,” still is a tear-jerker.  If, indeed, a dog can be like Jesus, what qualities might he have?  Young Kayson saw in his boxer, unquestioning love.  I like that about Jesus…and faithfulness, too.  Did you have a pet who was special to you?  ;-)  Jack   

FROM JU IN NC:  My family will always remember Toby.  But the special feature about him for me comes from a morning before going to school.  I was given the task to load up ol Mike ,a docile boar pig , into a trailer, and take him to market. We had a small pen that Mike was being held in and usually was manageable.  This morning, however, he had no desire to cooperate. After coaxing and chasing and pushing, Mike suddenly had enough.  He turned on me and I saw this wide open mouth with razor sharp teeth coming at me.  I knew in an instant that his mouth was closer than any escape route.  Toby must have been observing the whole scene.  Dashing into the pen came this black and brown dog biting the heef of Mike.  I used the distraction to climb over the top of the pen to safety .===JACK:  That seems to be another version of Old Shep, who rescued Jim from drowning.  Your sister told me how Toby wandered on to your ranch and became the family pet.  

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Take this for an example-- place your wife and the dog in the truck of your car for 30 minutes and see who is most excited to see you when you open the truck lid up again!" 0;-)===JACK:  i didn't think that AG pastors told jokes.  Are you the exception?===REV:  My response to those who ask-- "50,000 comedians out of a job, and you got stuck with me?!" 0;-)) ===JACK:  Joan's transgender daughter is a stand-up comic, living in Duluth.  

 FROM DS IN SOCAL:  I think Kayson was right.  All my dogs were wonderful,  but we lost one 2 years ago that was extra special to us.===JACK:  It seems to be a shame that the lifespan of dogs is relatively short...but "one day at a time" is good advice for any relationship.===DS:  Yes, I have often said, God's greatest creature should have been given a longer life span.  I have had to "put down" too many of these wonderful animals....have never had a "bad" one. ===JACK:  I was usually the one in our family to give our pet his last ride.

 

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  most pets (dogs especially)  love us unconditionally.  too bad we can't say that about many (most?) human beings.  pets are great for therapy also for PTSD and in many nursing homes too.  take care,  Jack.===JACK:  Without looking it up, I think that it was Mark Twain who said, "If there are no dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go there."===SP:  i think you are right.  or maybe it was Soupy Sales:):):) ===JACK:  We are both wrong.  It was Will Rogers.  BTW, I looked it up, and there are over 100 Biblical names used for dogs...the most popular, Chloe.

  

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  We had several dogs while growing up. One had a litter of puppies which we loved, until they went to other homes!  One dog  "Roodles", nipped a guy I was dating at Augie on the ankle. when he came for me. The next week, he wrote Roodles a note, saying "Dear Roodles: I know you love Marilyn, but I like her a lot, too, and mean her NO HARM when I'm coming to pick her up for our next date on Friday.Please take pity on  me, and don't bite my ankle again!"  Needless to say, she was tied in the back yard when he came the next time! :-)===JACK:  Did you know that the dog featured on RCA's "His Master's Voice" was named, Nipper?  Our dog, Tiger, was friendly, but he did nip our babysitter once.  Luckily, her family didn't sue us.  Our first dog was a collie, named, Moonie...with one eye blue, and the other brown.

FROM SALON SUZY:  So true, love our Rosie===JACK:  I looked it up...Top name for female dog is Bella.  Rosie came in 8th...but #1 for you.

FROM NOVA SCOTIA FISH:  Young Joan Baez's "Old Blue" did it for me, not long after I lost my first dog.  H and I used to walk by the coffee house near Harvard Square where she had recently gotten her start. We got to hear her at Bethlehem, PA a couple of decades later.===JACK:  I liked her music, too... and I liked what she stood for.

FROM QUILTING CAROL:  I agree with you.  Dogs are awesome companions.  We love when our ‘grand puppies’ come for visits.  We have one standard poodle and a chocolate lab who would make great therapy dogs.  If you are having a bad day, they seem to know that all they need do is sit next to you with their head in your lap. Michael’s vizsla puppy can be attentive too, but she doesn’t seem to have the patience to stay for too long.  There is always a bird or bunny that seems to call her away.  They are all very special in their own way and we are glad they are a part of our lives and they’ve been great for their owners and their families as well. ===JACK:  Daughter Beth (and Ben) have just gotten TWO Great Dane female puppies, and their son, John (in Atlanta) has a Dutch Shepherd.

FROM SR IN SJ:  I'm sorry to say that I did not have such a friendship with a pet!  We had cats and dogs out on the farm but they were outside, helpful animals, I guess, rather than intimate friends! I loved reading about Shep and Pooh bear and Brer Rabbit, or horses but that is hardly the same, is it? ===JACK:  Reading about "pets" is the next best thing, and ...no buying of food...and picking up afterward.  Does St B's Rule allow for pets (even a goldfish)?

FROM HOMELESS:  I agree with the lad! He knew God created dogs to be something very special. Man's/ woman's best friend!===JACK:  I tend to think that "meanness" is something taught to dogs.  Mean owner =  mean dog." ===H:  Yes, good point. I tend to never think of dogs as mean, but they are out there, unfortunately. Kind of like people....?===JACK:  I don't think that people are born, "mean," ie: born as sinners.  I think that they born into a "mean" world and need examples of goodness in their life, lest they become "mean" like the world.

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 Jack’s Winning Words 11/2/21

“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.” 
 (John Ruskin)   My first job, as a 1^st grader was going door to door in the neighborhood, selling copies of The Saturday Evening Post.  Who was to know that 30 years later I’d be going door to door trying to “sell” people on the idea of starting a new church in Grayslake, Ill…and later on in West Bloomfield, Michigan?  Life has strange twists, doesn’t it.  As you look back, what is it that helped cause you to be what you are today?  Eerie, isn’t iit? ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  Jack, did you ever know Pr. Art Holmer or either of his two sons,  Peter and Richard Holmer, all three former Augustana Synod pastors (later part of the LCA, of course).  all three also served in northern Illinois congregations.   Art was my confirmation pastor in St. Louis, MO but moved to Geneva (not sure about the city) in the early 1960s to serve a rather large congregation.  maybe we talked about this before.  just curious.  plh   Art had a lot to do with my choosing to go to the seminary.===JACK:  I knew Art H in college and seminary.  In fact, the Holmer family is an important chapter in the history to the Augustana Synod.  Each of us is more than a drop in the pond.  Our ripples spread out across the surface of the water.  There persons (known and unknown) who have influenced by you. 

FROM NURSE SK:    My first job was Babysitting for the Neighbors. I think my love of caring for others prompted my Nursing career. I still enjoy helping and caring for others! 😊. Hope you are both well. Can’t wait for you guys to come back to Minnesota in January. I hope we have a nice Winter.😳🙏. I love your Winning words! 😊❤===JACK:  I've often been impressed when talking with nurses and how they became interested in the nursing profession.  Most of the time it has seemed to start with babysitting and caring about people in some kind of physical need.  I salute the caring nurses in our communities, wherever they might be. 

F️ROM GDJ IN WI:  Lots of things shaped me. You for instance. I used to come by your office when my frustration was boiling over.  You always calmed me down-always. And you taught me a great mind trick. Remember when you told me to make a private deal with myself to have a 3 year call in mind? “Anyone can stand it for 3 years.”  It was so liberating I ended up staying at A for over 15 yrs!  Thanks Jack. Life lesson learned from you.===JACK:  Those were the days, my friend!  I remember the car rides with you as we drove through Detroit and you showed me "the old neighborhood."  I learned from you, as well.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Were you apprehensive about knocking on the doors of strangers neighbors or optimistic enough that you were unconcerned?===JACK:  Apprehensive? NO!  Excited?  YES  I had it figured out that for every 10 calls I made, I would get one prospect.  Since my job was to get "prospects" for starting a new church, the more calls I made, the closer I came to meeting the goal.  Within a year, the church was ready to begin.

FROM DAZ IN CO:  I bet you were good at selling Saturday Evening Posts too.  

===JACK:  You won that bet.  Rigfht now I have another "sales" project in mind.

FROM SR IN SJ:  After 25 years of teaching Spanish language and literature as a required course, I decided to take an early retirement and got involved with opening Casa Guadalupe in Cold Spring to work with and for the immigrants who were arriving there, in unusual needs.  I had the language, the desire to be with the poor and the long time example of my Mom and Dad who were among the most upright, abstemious and generous people in my childhood!! 🤨===JACK:  You've still got it.  You might as well use it....to God's glory!

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  OH MY GOODNESS! My grandson Billy Oaks, and his son live in Grayslake, IL! Sadly, they are not church members anywhere...Small world!  As I've said before,  My H.S. music teacher selecting me to be the student director in the Spring Concert at MOline H.S. helped me to decide to major in Music Ed.  I'd been a volunteer nurses aide my;Sr. yr in H>S. & was considering going into nurses training with some of my friends, I met the love of my life at Augie, so GOOD CHOICE! :-)===JACK:  Why not tell Billy that the original Bill went to college with the minister who started Shepherd of the lakes Church in Grayslake, and that he's a "Moliner," just like grandma.  And, he'd like for you to give him a report on what you think of it as a "God place."

FROM SK IN SJ:  I've often been impressed when talking with nurses and how they became interested in the nursing profession.  Most of the time it has seemed to start with babysitting and caring about people in some kind of physical need.  I salute the caring nurses in our communities, wherever they might be.===JACK:  The nurses I have know through the year are truly caring people.  Personally, I miss seeing them in their white uniforms, with a cap designating what school they went to.  Even the casual dress of pastors these days is not my "cup of tea," especially when there are performing the dutiesnof their work.  I guess the idea is to make them "identify" with the people they are serving. 

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Were you apprehensive about knocking on the doors of strangers neighbors or optimistic enough that you were unconcerned?===JACK:  I was not concerned in the least.  My job was to "build" a church, and knocking on doors was part of the job.  Prospect, or not, I was meeting new people, and I "knew" that if I knocked on ten doors I'd get one prospect.  Better than an office job any day.  Only one door was slammed in my face.  At each home I left my calling card and asked the people to pass it on to someone who might be interested.  It worked for me.

 Jack’s Winning Words 11/1/21

“Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.”  (The Optimist Creed)  What is it that disturbs your peace of mind?  A family problem…an illness…a situation at work…the news...money?  For 50 years, I’ve made “that Promise” weekly, not to let anything disturb my peace of mind.  I still experience things that disturb me, but my “goal” is not to let them ruin my life.  I try to choose friends wisely.  I try to find the positive side of issues.  “The Creed” goes on to say:  “to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.”  It works for me.  Perhaps it will help you to find peace of mind.  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  this WWs brings back good memories of the Keego Optimist Club.  "to forget the mistakes of the past and to press on to the greater achievements of the future..."   i still recall breakfasts at Frank Spadafore's (spell?) restaurant in the basement.  can't recall the name of the place right now.   and did not like being in that basement with one exit.  kind of a fire trap but we all survived.  then later we moved over to Gino's,  i think.  interesting bunch of guys to say the least.  ===JACK:  Fire trap restaurant?  How about standing in the middle of a busy road selling flags?  Krazy Kats with 9 lives...  The club is observing its 50th Anniversary and recently has a Steak 'n' Shoot event.  Cook your own steak...then Skeet Shoot with your own gun.

FROM THE UNDERTAKER:  Jack, I know you would differ, but you are a Saint among us.  I celebrate knowing you today.===JACK:  You're right!  Who am I compared to St. Francis, Mother Theresa, St. Benedict...and the like?  There's a song that you can find on YouTube:  "I sing a song of the saints of God."  It's worth listening to.

FROM IKE AT THE MIC:  On that thought, I thought you might appreciate a sign above my desk that states:  "Worrying will do nothing about solving  tomorrow's problem, but it will sure mess up your today"mmm ===JACK:  or....worrying is like a rocking chair.  It gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.

FROM JP IN MERRILL:    I was a member of the Merrill Optimists for around 20 years but dropped out when work took me out of town regularly.  I am sad to say that I have forgotten the entire creed but recognized the quote immediately.  I still have it pinned to the noteboard on my desk.  I've forgotten the Jaycee creed too, after aging out of that group 30 years ago.  Sadly, our local club disbanded many years ago.  We/they used to do great things for the community.  Our Optimist club and Rotary club are still active but with greatly reduced numbers.  That, unfortunately, is pretty common.  What happened to "service to humanity"?===JACK:  "Service" is still being done, just by different people in different ways.  Time marches on.

    

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/29/21

“Where there is no imagination, there is no horror.”  (Arthur Conan Doyle)  I remember being scared while reading  Doyle’s “Hound of the Baskervilles.”  …and I’ve never been able to complete watching the movie, “Silence of the Lambs.”  …too scary for me.  The Halloween, the popular “frightening costumes are Frankenstein Monster, the Devil and the Evil Clown.  When I went trick or treating in the “old days”, we wore masks called, “funny faces.”  We’d never heard of Zombies (today’s scariest mask).  Most people don’t know the “religious” meaning of Halloween…but there is one, but I’ll leave that to your imagination.  BOO!  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  sadly, we have turned Halloween into a near disaster for kids today with things becoming a bit too scary even for me.===JACK:  Like with Christmas....the sideshow has become the Main Event.  Halloween has a great story behind it. 

FROM JP IN MERRILL:  I remember Dan and I dressing up as cowboys or soldiers and running around the neighborhood, usually with a couple other pair of brothers who were our ages.

Ahh, the good ole' days!  😉 🎃===JACK:  It was dusk in Merrill, near Halloween, and I passed by a mother and her little boy.  As I  walked by I heard the boy say to his mom, "Is that the Boogie Man.?"  I still laugh about that.===JP:   That's pretty funny.  Thanks for sharing a chuckle. ===JACK:  We all have had those "funny" little things that have happened.  I'll be you've had some, too.

 ack’s Winning Words 10/28/21

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”  (Emma Lazarus)  My grandparents immigrated to America, passing by the Statue of Liberty.  Part of the beauty of that landmark are the words of Emma Lazarus.  Times change; situations are different…but I’m haunted by those words that greeted so many immigrants seeking a new way of life.  To me, “Lady Liberty” (dedicated on this date in 1886) is a statement of American values.  My favorite college course was titled, ” American Ideals.”  I’m proud to call myself an “idealist” in a land that seems to be leaning toward realism.  ;-)  Jack 

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  The history of The Statue of Liberty is far more intricate than a welcoming beacon to people from other countries seeking freedom. It’s history and inscription is more closely founded in celebrating Our Declaration of independence.===JACK:  The irony is found in the Lazarus words.===EP:  If we study the history of the “Lady Liberty” we would find that the statue has it’s roots in the end of slavery in our country. The inscription came later and was not met with universal approval. In fact, published political cartoons at the time depicted immigrants devouring the statue and contaminating the country.  When I visit my daughter and family in New Yofk, I always take a day to walk on the Promenade. From there I can see the Statue of Liberty and think what  it meant for so many people seeing it for the first time from a ship. It’s basic to my family’s history. We need to know the true history of the statue including what it morphed into the hopes snd dreams of so many people. Both aspects of the statue’s history are relevant and important.===JACK:  Each person who views the statue has their own reaction.  The same way with teaching CRT.  Each student has their own way of processing information.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Maybe it’s time to move the statue down to the dry land at the border and the government open two immigration offices to handle the influx of folk coming in that way now?.?. My in-laws came in across the waters too from Italy. 0;-)===JACK:  What a great idea!  But, if you want cause MORE of an uproar, just try it.

FROM THE SHARK:  Amen====JACK:  When you first came to America, you probably did so on an airplane.  What was your first impression?===S:  How unbelievably beautiful the girls were because most women in Iraq dresses in black Abbayas and all of them did so in Saudi Arabia so it was the most pleasant cultural shock I have ever experienced:)===JACK:  What if "traditional" Americans were sent to live in Iraq?  Culture shock?

FROM BB IN CHGO:  I like your ideals and idealism as well.  Not sure about the realism part except that we are scrutinizing past heroes with the modern lens and finding they fall short, way short…as do we all.===JACK:  I once gave a George Washington Birthsay Speech in college.  The class was laughing as I listed all the failures ans shortcomings of George.  The prof, in his critique, told me that what I said was entertaining, it was not appropriate.  "He taught me a lesson that I did not forget.  Heroes often have "feet of clay," and should be careful as to who it is that we call a hero...and why.

FROM SR IN SJ:  YES, dear "idealist"!!  and at 94 you will surely continue on. . . . ===JACK:  I feel that I've gone from realism to idealism in my thinking.  Someone, or some people have to set a standard.  In a way, I see that as part of the role of the "religious."

 

 

 

Jack’s Winning Words 10/27/21 “We can’t let people drive wedges between us, because there’s just one human race.”  (Dolores Huerta, Civil  Rights activist)  Recently I heard it suggested that the discovery of extra-terrestrial beings (ETs) would be a good thing, because it might cause our fractured society to come together on a subject different from the political and social ones that seem to be driving us apart.  I have a hard time believing that the strife among us is part of God’s plan…so I will continue to support people like Huerta, Thunberg, and others like them. They may not be perfect, but they’re trying to do something to remove the wedges between the human race.  Do you see ETs as the solution?  ;-)  Jack FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  what does greta thunberg have to do w/this? ===JACK:  I know that Greta isn't one of your favorites, but I put her in "pull your chain."  But, she is one who is trying bring people together for a common cause...saving the environment.  I see her as a younger you.===L:  you know how to pull my chain, kudos!  i am way smarter than she, and i am no one's puppet. was offered a "professional troll" job once, but declined. dad and i resigned a large hog confinement account 40 years ago bc we did not like the idea, the more we learned... but i thank you. 😉===JACK:  You don't scare me anymore..., ===LIZ: ah, so you admit i used to scare you? 😂  i do have all the answers: by admitting that i do not have all the answers. not many have the guts to say that. greta doesn't.  i suspect that the climate change "panic" is similar to the plandemic panic... heavy on the political, light on the science. such relatively miniscule variations in our planet are likely naturally occurring. we are entering a phase of solar "minimum."  people's ignorance is exploited every step of the way.T think that you believe that you have all of the answers. ===JACK:  At least your thinking is consistent...whether it's right, or not, is stillin the debate phase. FROM DR JUDYL:  OK you finally got me to respond. (So many times I think I’m answering and decide … nah.)  I fear that seeing extraterrestrials as the solution by so many people will envision them as the enemy. Something to get rid of (like all the immigrants and “others“). Since I think there are positives that have to do with extra terrestrial’s, I would hate to see that this group would become the enemy. Since any ET’s who could come here would have to be highly intelligent, I am hoping and assuming that they are staying far far away. But I do like to believe that they do come around to help. 😃 ===JACK:  ETs, not as the enemy (that's a surmise), but as something totally "other" than what we are currently grousing about.  It's called, "distraction."  Sometimes distraction is useful in day to day relationships.===D:  Well if they’re not under attack and under that knife for scrutiny, I’m all for ET’s!!===JACK:  For example, look at our astronauts as ETs finding "new life" out there in space.  That would relegate politics and vaccines to the back pages.  That would certainly be exciting for "most' of the earthlings.===JL:  Good idea.. FROM BB IN CHGO:  Big smile.  Reading Ilia Delio’s Hours of the Universe and having a rough time thinking beyond the confines of my early childhood MO Synod education.  I recall the Methodist church for a while had a slogan, “Open Minds, Open Hearts, Open Doors” and thought that philosophy was a good place to start.  If we’re not open to the thoughts and concerns of our neighbors, we‘ll not make much progress.===JACK:  The ELCA is about as open as a mainline church can be.  The Catholic Church runs the gamut, but, at least, the current pope exudes openness.   FROM THE SCIENTIST:  I’m guessing ETs would just bring a new layer of things to debate. How do we receive them? Are they real or a devious plot? What level of fear is appropriate? … Of course we just watched MIB. There could be ETs among us now ;)===JACK:  Just because something is "unknown" does not necessarily mean that we have to be in fear if it.  ETs would mean that we change the subject from that which seems to be wedging us apart.  Bring on the ETs. FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  factoid for today:  the human brain uses the same amount of power as a 10 watt light bulb.    well,  that does seem to explain a lot of what we see in the news these days! ===JACK:  We've seen today that the modern light bulb provides the same light, using less power.  I'm of the opinion that there's plenty of unused power stored in the brain.  To find it, use it and benefit from it, is the modern quest.  I have slogans pasted by my computer.  One says: "Get Tough.  Get off your duff."  FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I DO NOT, BUT THEY MIGHT CAUSE EVERYONE TO BAND TOGETHER TO DEAL WITH SUCH A  THING!===JACK:  ETs don't necessarily have to be bad things.

 ack’s Winning Words 10/26/21

“Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10)  This Psalm has brought comfort to many people living stressful lives.  Something different is being tried in a town near where I live.  It’s called, the Rage Room where, for $20 you can spend 45 minutes (using crowbars, hammers, golf clubs, ball bats) to destroy anything: dishes, mirrors, pictures of past lovers, computer monitors, whatever causes anxiety or stress.  The Rage Room is used for fun, too: birthdays, date night, etc.  I don’t personally need the Rage Room because,  a simple talk with God, does just fine…and it’s free. ;-)  Jack 

FROM JU IN NC:  So true. Without the peace of God, we have our continuous rage room inside our head.  By the way that room is not free either, since the cost of consequences can be astronomical. ===JACK:  Thanks for the reminder that "rage rooms" aren't just fun and games.  Rage can be real.  Meditating on the Psalm (46) is one way of bringing peace. ===JU:  They often last a week. ===JACK:  Which sometimes seems like more...I suppose.

FROM CZB:  Lots of stress out there.  Have you seen this story? It makes my heart sing.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dads-louisiana-high-school-student-iolence/ ===JACK:  That stress (out there) can lead to rage which lead to violence.  We're seeing it.

FROM SR IN SJ:  YES, YES dear Jack!  You/We are on the right track. I'm there with you and Joan, too!===JACK:  There's something to said for "quiet time."  Do you observe such a thing at St B's?===SR:  Oh, yes!  a day of recollection each first Saturday of each month, the sacred days of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, prior to @ 9:00 daily. . .more like 10:00a.m. and  after Evening prayer, in the hallways . . .and if you are like me, who loves silence and solitude, I am in my bedroom which is also my office,  quiet,  almost all day long. . .I love it.  I also go to   one of our hermitages for 2 days each month, God willing!===JACK:  I like soft music to go with the quiet time.  I glance at The Rule every so often, but sight problems don't make it easy.  But, I keep at it.  These are just off the top of my head. . .but St. Benedict tells us "that in  much talking, it's hard to avoid sin!!"  Have you had a chance to read the Rule of Benedict yet? the principles are the same today as in the 5thc. though some things have been modified, as you might expect, Jack!===SR: I wish I could listen to  music the way it was written and recorded.  alas!  because of my loss of hearing, what I hear musically is often so distorted it is disturbing. . .not unlike what I hear verbally. . .although i can guess more easily at the spoken word than the  musical sounds! 🤨===JACK:  When it comes to music and hearing loss, remember J S Bach.

 

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Have you heard the taize song version of , “Be Still”?  It is a favorite of mine.  Years ago (and still today) we have a recycling space out near the woods a mile from the children’s growing up home.  The giant metal dumpsters are the size of freight cars and clearly labelled, newsprint, plastic, brown glass, green glass, clear glass.  As part of our recycling effort we’d go and pitch those bottles to the back of the cars.  It felt good to let go (rage or not) and to do so in a safe and somewhat constructive setting😊===JACK:  "be still" sounds familar...hum a few bars.  Throwing bottles and breaking them was a teen-age =thrill for me.===BB:  I’m sending along the Notre Dame school version as it’s most similar to what I hear when I visit Loyola where I went to school.  Bliss! https://youtu.be/GyUveMKE-b8===JACK:  Thanks  Cheer, Cheer

 

FROM JANN IN MI:  AMEN!  And "a simple talk with God, does just fine"!  Troubles?  GO "BACK" TO CHURCH!  Put $20 extra in the offering plate; or give anything positive that could use some help.   If church isn't your "thing", do something worthwhile for something. If you can't or won't help with your physical action, send financial   help, or good words, or send prayers--no cost required.  None of the above is new; WINNING WORDS has been telling all these good words for many years!! !===JACK:  Do you know this song?

I once was lost in sin but Jesus took me in
And then a little light from heaven fill my soul
He bathed my heart in love and He wrote my name above
And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our troubles
He will hear our faintest cry
And He will answer by and by

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin'
And you will know a little fire is burnin'
Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

I may have doubts and fears
My eyes be filled with tears
But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night
I go to him in prayer
He knows my every care
And just a little talk with Jesus makes it right

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our troubles
He will hear our faintest cry
And He will answer by and by

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin'
And you will know a little fire is burnin'
You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

Now let us have a little talk with Jesus
Let us tell Him all about our troubles
He will hear our faintest cry
And He will answer by and by

And when you feel a little prayer wheel turnin'
And you will know a little fire is burnin'
You will find a little talk with Jesus makes it right

 

 

 

Jack’s Winning Words 10/25/21 “Every visible and invisible creature can be called a theophany, that is an appearance of the Divine.” (John Scotus Eringena)   In case you’re wondering, a theophany is an appearance of God to mankind.  I see God in the birds and bees…and changing of the seasons.  I see God in a doctor I can trust.   When we’ve lived long enough, we’re able to see that Divine is not only omnipotent, omniscient… but that He is also omnipresent.  God is all around us.  However I have a hard time seeing Him in that mosquito that buzzes when I’m trying to go to sleep.  Where have you see God lately?  ;-)  Jack FROM WILMAR REV:  "I've seen and felt Him manifested in my heart now for many of years!?!?' 0;-)===JACK:  Are "those" the words of one of your choruses?  You don"t hear the word "fettered" much anymore.  It's been replaced by "handcuffed."===REV:  Sounds like one…actually thinking of Nicodemus and his conversation with Christ and the wind of His Spirit…feel it but cannot see it?! 0;-) ===JACK:  "Every time I feel the Spirit et."  Sing it, Rev! FROM DR J:  How’s this theophany… shared by a friend this very morning!  Puffer Fish Skeleton!  Miraculous I think!===JACK:  I think that the puffer fish has morphed into a politician with orange hair. FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  i read the other day that bees have to visit 2 million flowers to make one lb. of honey.   such amazing creatures.  they also pollinate about 40% of our food supply.  as for mosquitos,   we think we can now sterilize the males but what might that do to the food chain for other insects that feed on mosquitoes?   it would likely eradicate malaria but nature does have a very fine balance.===JACK:  I say, "Be careful when it comes to tinkering with the food chain."  Having said that...I'm thankful for vaccines and othe medicines that have been developed. FROM  SR IN SJ:  EVERYWHERE: a little child gazing at the organist as she played the postlude at Mass, your Winning Words, our auto mechanic who received my questions so lovingly, a group of our Bennies presenting their concert, the sunshine, the falling leaves, a little chipmunk, being able to send a Word document to S.Kerry, a rescheduling of a meeting, a breeze carrying a yellow leaf to earth, finding something I had lost, the help of another sister in doing my job. . .the pain I feel this a.m., an email forwarded to me, too . . . . do you wish for more, my friend??? the day has just begun. . .I expect many more encounters !@! Peace and joy,===JACK:  The young man who served us coneys and fries this noon with a smile.  He looked Middle-Eastern.  Could he have been Jesus?  FROM BLAZING OAKS:  In Covid vaccines and boosters! As you say;, God is everywhere, all about us if we are aware...!  So much about nature, and our world is really miraculously engineered!! ===JACK:  Since it's so close to Halloween, some look at the Covid vaccine and see it as a "false face."

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/22/21

“You don’t have to park your brain with your car when you come to church.”  (Rev O V Anderson)  A nuclear physicist used to wait in his car while his children went to Sunday School.  One Sunday the pastor went out and introduced himself, saying to the scientist that he was welcome to come to church and to bring his brain with him.  It’s often been discussed as to whether “church” is an emotional experience or a thought-provoking one?  For me, it’s a bit of both.  I like to have the sermon stretch my mind.  I also want to feel that my spirit and the Spirit of God have had a meeting.  What do you think?  ;-)  Jack.

FROM THE SCIENTIST:  A couple of years ago I did a couple of presentation on the church’s belief about genetics. Of course I introduced myself with my profession as a scientist so it made sense why I’d be leading these adult Sunday school discussions. After, when we’d talked about both God, science, and our responsibilities, two separate people noted that they didn’t realize scientists could be Christian. ===JACK:  It seems as though we're still living in the Dark Ages when groups of people dismiss science as "fake news."  I'm glad to have had a relatively small part in helping to form your thinking. ===S:  Say, I’ve been “reading” a book “pale rider” about the 1918 flu epidemic.  Seems we are just repeating history … including the science skepticism. If you haven’t read it I recommend it.===JACK: The philosophical concept of "Eternal Recurrence" is an idea that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a similar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space.  That must mean that there are other Lailas.. ==S:  Chris and Verity are watching the marvel series “what if” which explores the parallel universe theory in the way only super hero comics can===JACK:  The Buck Rogers comic strip used to be considered, fantasy...so did Dick Tracy talking into his wrist watch.  A parallel universe?  Maybe it's not a fantasy.  

               

FROM WILMAR REV:  Well said, my friend!! 0;-)===JACK:  How are the AG people (clergy as well as lay) accepting science?  Do some churches still have parking spaces for brains?===REV:  I’ll use your answer, hopefully being correct…”room for both”. This pandemic is a good example for it, “science”, being fluid on occasion with its findings as “truth” is left in the hands of mankind’s definition. Interesting of late with more articles and finding that “natural immunities” are equivalent if not better than the vaccines in fighting reoccurrences.  0;-)  ===JACK:  What bothers me is that people have come to trust "social media" more that they respect 'authentic scientists."===REV:  Been that way for years though, but limited to coffee shops, bars and the VFW’s in those earlier years…I’ve heard it for years, “can’t prove there is a God scientifically, only by faith?!?!” Fortunately for us, we were born in America where God’s laws were tolerated or at least once they were. “Ready for heaven over here, Jack!” 0;-)===JACK:  These days are testing our ultimate faith in God.===REV:  I had a ‘weird’ thought the other day getting tired of reading, and rightly so with what is being said: “They died due to complications of COVID.”  ===JACK:  We're all going to die of something....so, are we ready to meet our maker?

 FROM AP IN WB:  YES! And why I love the education I'm receiving in the classes at the church we are now in. And why your Winning Words are valuable to us as well.  So glad you haven't given up on us all!! ===JACK:  I'm simply the sower.  I happy for "the ground" that receives the seed and helps it to grow.  Where a person attends church is immaterial, so long as it's one where "brains" are allowed to be there.

FROM MAGGIE:  I totally agree! Brain and “heart”. Stay well.===JACK:  God created the total person, and that includes the mind, as well as feelings.

FROM DB IN WB:  Pastor I always looked forward each Sunday to hear your sermon. It always stretched my brain. My favorite is “inch by inch it’s a cinch” ===JACK:  My AIM was always to give people something to think about...and to make it helpful, at the same time.  I appreciate your comment..

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  in my preaching i almost always tried to offer at least one example or one story with some info that would be new to the ears of my listeners.    and people would often comments on that going out the doors.   "i did not know that".   it was always kind of gratifying to hear such words.===JACK:  First of all, the sermon has to be acceptable to "the preacher."  Just to get into the pulpit and spout words was never satisfying to me. ===SP:  the Episcopal Church of Mpls. used to have a huge advertising poster hanging in one of the concourses at our Airport with this exact quote.  i am sure a lot of folks saw it over the years.   also,  did you know that Kent Knutson (once Prez of our old ALC) was a molecular  physicist before he came to the seminary?   i am 98% sure of this statement.  i know he was a physicist or some kind.===JACK:  The person I was referring to eventually became a pastor...and then, a bishop.  God works in mysterious ways. ===SP:  and if i was not excited by the text or the theme for the day,  i would sometimes find another one.   as one of my Profs used to say, "if you are not excited about your material/sermon,  you can be sure your audience  won't be excited either.     truthfully, i prefer topical preaching to textual preaching.  ===JACK:  I was taught to take the text and connect it up with life.  It worked for me.  I was not adverse to choosing a text to "fit" the situation I wanted to preach about.  ===SP:  totally agree!   too many sermons today are an analysis of the text but the application to daily life is sometime hard to find.   also,  don't shed light on the Bible.  rather, let the light of the Bible shed light on your life!    3 things must happen in a good sermon:   tell me,  then show me,  then move me.   a lot of preaching never gets past the "tell me" stage.  

FROM SHALOM JAN:    Totally agree!

FROM DS IN SOCAL:  I try to speak with the Sprit of God daily.===JACK:  ...and you're never put on hold and have to listen to harp music. ===DS:   HA!!!    Says WHO?  I hear the harp music....maybe you're dialing the wrong number.===JACK:  Maybe it's feedback from your hearing aids. 

😂

 Jack’s Winning Words 10/21/21

“Be selective in your battles, for sometimes peace is better than being right.”  (sent by Kathy Marsceau)   One of my friends went to a military academy where he learned (among other things) that winning a war depends on picking your battles.  Successful relationships, including marriage, don’t occur if one person always has to be right. It’s a wise person who knows when to “speak up” and when to “shut up.”  “Let there be peace on Earth” comes about from listening, as well as speaking…followed by the appropriate action.  Have you seen that to be true?  ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  a similar bromide is this:   you can lose the battle and win the war OR you can win the battle and lose the war.   i prefer the former.  patience and timing are everything in most relationships. ===JACK:  ..or, "Pick your battles."  I've performed some weddings where I saw "problems" brewing.  What did I do?  I picked my battles  

FROM TRIHARDER:  During one of my therapy sessions with my (now ex-) wife, I had an epiphany.  I exclaimed, "I have to decide if I want to be married or I want to be right."===JACK:  Some divorces are the kindest action for all involved. ===TH:   Ours was. Most people don't realize it because they assume people don't get along forever. My X and I were always on the same page when it came to our children.  We would consult with each other. We get along better today than we did during our last years of marriage. It also helps that her husband and I get along.===JACK:  I suppose that in many marriages, one or the other person knows what chain not to pull (or to pull). 

 FROM SALON SUZY:  So true!===JACK: I suppose it's true in the salon business.  In fact, even pastors have to pick their battles.

FROM DR J:  In our yoga class, we do a “Mudra” or finger movement. We bring our thumb and first finger together and say “peace”, thumb to second finger “begins”, thumb to third finger, “with”, thumb to pinky “me”…I like it… I repeat  it throughout the day when I come across something I want to “battle”  Sometimes I debate others… but sometimes it’s just better to be at peace. I’m learning that it’s okay to have both in your life.  And peace can mean to "be still” and engaged…  Peace begins with me.  Enjoy the day!===JACK:  I like the song, Let There Be In The world...especially the line...And let it begin with me.

FROMSR IN SJ:  Oh, yes, I have , Jack!  And the first word of the Rule of Benedict is "LISTEN"!===JACK:  If Benedict said it, it's been an age-old problem, even among "the religious."  

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  you and i both know when it's time to "shut up" when we discuss... we don't always do it, tho. 😂===JACK:  We've been writing back and forth for enough time that we know one another's views and respect them without trying to change them.  I think that each of us are what we were.